Dan Clark Audio AEON RT Review (closed headphone)

[sbsj]

I thought you said that Beats by Dre were your everyday headphones? Oh well, learn something new every day ...

lolz ... that's blasphemy

 

[DJBonoBobo]

Impedance is very flat which is good (typical of planar magnetic drivers) but also very low:

View attachment 106161

You need a very good phone amplifier that does well in my 32 ohm tests. Efficiency is also quite low making this point even more important:

View attachment 106162

Thanks for the review.
This compact, foldable and closed headphone looked to me like it would be very suitable to be used on mobile, at least by hifi nerds (like me). I was already close to ordering one.

But these passages about the amplifier have made me wonder: How is that supposed to work for mobile use? Is there a reasonably small/light/simple USB-dongle that provides enough power for these headphones? I've searched the reviews but haven't found anything. The closest I came was the CEntrance DACport HD, but even that seems way underpowered.

What is the idea, how to connect this headphone to a smartphone for example? Or is this headphone not suitable for that?

I don't know if I'm allowed to ask this question here in the review thread. If not, please accept my apologies.

 

[Moonhead]

Superlux ha3d can power most headphones only need two batteries, cheap to!

 

[w1000i]

@Dan Clark Any chance to build a 2 way headphone ? when I hear my IEM that have 3way design thing sound better with separation and details never lost in the mix .

 

[Dan Clark]

@Dan Clark Any chance to build a 2 way headphone ? when I hear my IEM that have 3way design thing sound better with separation and details never lost in the mix .

Crossovers add their own complexities, particularly in the time domain. In theory a single full bandwidth driver with good time-domain performance and the ability to span the full spectrum will be superior to multiple drivers with crossovers, IF the driver truly gracefully handles the full spectrum. In loudspeakers multi-driver designs are essential because it's pretty much impossible to make a bass driver that can handle high frequencies without breakup, and tweeters simply can't move enough air to produce bass. In IEMs it's because balanced armature drivers, in particular, are generally not designed for full-spectrum response, so you pretty much have to work with a crossover.

Because our drivers are full-bandwidth, and as the THD measurements show can easily handle the whole spectrum without breaking up, we would not want to degrade system performance by introducing phase issues (and other secondary crossover-related problems). Our planar technology allows us to take a "simpler" path, though tuning the system without the benefit of a crossover is quite tricky, as the range of measured results from Amir's other planar headphone tests show.

In short, my POV is it's harder to tune a single-driver system but if you can the results are, at least to my ear, better because it's phase coherent...

 

[DJBonoBobo]

Superlux ha3d can power most headphones only need two batteries, cheap to!

Thanks, but if that would be the smallest and lightest solution, then the Aeon RT is probably not for me, unfortunately. I was hoping that you could somehow use it with a dongle or "thumb drive" amp. Too bad!
I don't want to go into this too much, but should I expect the results of this review on amp requirements to be applicable to the other models (e.g. Aeon 2 Noire) or could it be that one of the other models can somehow be hooked up to a smartphone without any large additional devices?

 

[Dan Clark]

Thanks for the review.
This compact, foldable and closed headphone looked to me like it would be very suitable to be used on mobile, at least by hifi nerds (like me). I was already close to ordering one.

But these passages about the amplifier have made me wonder: How is that supposed to work for mobile use? Is there a reasonably small/light/simple USB-dongle that provides enough power for these headphones? I've searched the reviews but haven't found anything. The closest I came was the CEntrance DACport HD, but even that seems way underpowered.

Thanks, but if that would be the smallest and lightest solution, then the Aeon RT is probably not for me, unfortunately. I was hoping that you could somehow use it with a dongle or "thumb drive" amp. Too bad!
I don't want to go into this too much, but should I expect the results of this review on amp requirements to be applicable to the other models (e.g. Aeon 2 Noire) or could it be that one of the other models can somehow be hooked up to a smartphone without any large additional devices?

For portable there are a couple of general options... You can use a phone but I like to caveat that this is for background-level listening. Apple's phones generally have enough power to get up to 80dB+ which is pretty safe for all-day listening but they'll conk out if the bass is too big or you play too loud.

There are tons of phone dongles out there but many are not adequate. One that handles ÆON well and works either LDAC or APTx HD, or as a USB DAC/Amp, is the FiiO BTR5. It's superb and around $110, the battery even has a decent lifespan pushing the AEONs. We did test a number of wireless/dongle players last year and this was a staff favorite.

Quality DAPs like an iBasso DX220 with an Amp 8 perform very well, and of course a portable DAC/Amp like the iFI iDSD Black Label or Chord Mojo are a great fit. There are less expensive DAPs but they change so often we haven't been able to try any of the recent entrants at a CanJam or other show for a year, so I'm not up to snuff on best of breed for the sub $500 DAPs...

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Is there any way for headphones to move more air?, the easy way is make the driver the bigger possible, or not? i think the v-planar thing also help for dynamic, the first thing that i notice when i use my headphone is the dynamics and tactile experience isn't as good as speakers, but my planar magnetic headphone seems to be more under control but i prefer to listen in my speakers cause is more fun, but i'm done with my Ether flow, i don't want any headphone, im fine.
To be honest i don't detect phase problem with my kefs with uniq, this is only my case and experience
Ty

 

[Cahudson42]

One that handles ÆON well and works either LDAC or APTx HD, or as a USB DAC/Amp, is the FiiO BTR5. It's superb and around $110, the battery even has a decent lifespan pushing the AEONs. We did test a number of wireless/dongle players last year and this was a staff favorite.

@Dan Clark

Was the Qudelix 5k included in your dongle review? If not, you might want to take a look at it, too. Same $110 as BTR5

 

[Booker]

Are those closed cans major upgrade over the EQed SRH840? Did anyone find them on stock of some EU shop? Thank you.

 

[Jimbob54]

Did anyone find them on stock of some EU shop? Thank you.

This model available only direct from manufacturer I understand. Other (more expensive) models to get imported to EU.

 

[sejarzo]

...When comparing EQ generated by various sources they all differ. It's not that only one of them is correct.. they all are kind-of correct.
Easier to just leave the EQ up to the owner... they can decide which they prefer.

My thoughts precisely. To me, the key issue is low distortion and relatively smooth response so EQ works well with that particular headphone/IEM.

I used to be one of those who turned up my nose at the notion of "tone controls" but there's simply no way that pop recordings are mixed and mastered with any level of consistency. Some are so ridiculously "screechy" to me that I cannot listen without some adjustment, while others just sound dead and lifeless--to the point I know that is not what the artist and producer intended, as albums within a single artist's catalog are all over the place when it comes to balance.

 

[Booker]

This model available only direct from manufacturer I understand. Other (more expensive) models to get imported to EU.

OK, thanks. This will give a total cost of around 770$ to import them, at least to the Czech Republic. Which makes no sense to buy them here.

 

[sejarzo]

In IEMs it's because balanced armature drivers, in particular, are generally not designed for full-spectrum response, so you pretty much have to work with a crossover.

Interesting. I have owned a variety of Etymotic and Phonak Audeo single-BA IEMs, and maybe it's just because my 63 year old ears don't hear much above 12 kHz, but every measurement I have seen suggests that they handle the bulk of the spectrum quite well.

I am in 100% agreement with you re the 2-5 kHz range boost in many headphones/IEMs not sounding right. This is how I EQ my Etymotic ER3SE:

.

 

[maverickronin]

Interesting. I have owned a variety of Etymotic and Phonak Audeo single-BA IEMs

You've either been lucky or chosen well as those are the very few exceptions that get get extended response out of a single BA.

 

[sherm137]

Would also love to see how these compare to the Ether CX. If the Ether is "worse," I will gladly sell them and pick up a pair of these.

 

[sejarzo]

You've either been lucky or chosen well as those are the very few exceptions that get get extended response out of a single BA.

This seems to suggest that they do fine with both their BA and dynamic single driver IEMs.

 

[amirm]

Would also love to see how these compare to the Ether CX. If the Ether is "worse," I will gladly sell them and pick up a pair of these.

I will test it soon. For now, it does not have the same performance as RT.

 

[sherm137]

I will test it soon. For now, it does not have the same performance as RT.

Awesome. Thank you!

 

[PeteL]

This seems to suggest that they do fine with both their BA and dynamic single driver IEMs.

View attachment 106999

Isn't it something slightly different technologically than common Balance armature drivers like Knowles and such tough? I believe Grado uses same types of full range drivers in their gr serie. Certainly some of you are more knowledgeable than me about the specifics, for some reason Etymotic refers in their specs to moving coil drivers, and Grado call their drivers moving armature. Tomato Tomato?